Canada pledges more support for MCH programme

The government of Canada, through its G8 Muskoka Initiatives, has announced support to improve health care for mother and child health (MCH) programme in the country.

The announcement was made on Monday in Dar es Salaam by Canada’s head of cooperation John Moore on the sidelines of a national workshop on the Accountability Framework for Women’s and Children’s Health, hosted by the government of Tanzania which ends today.

He said Canada and Tanzania have committed to take action to put a stop to mothers dying during pregnancy and childbirth and children dying before their fifth birthday.

“I am proud to say that with this announcement, Canada is at the forefront of supporting the government of Tanzania in this joint effort,” he said.

The projects will help strengthen the delivery of health care services, improve nutrition, and address common and preventable diseases that cause maternal, newborn and child deaths. This will be achieved by improving infrastructure, equipment and training related to prenatal, delivery and postnatal care, as well as infant and child care.

According to him, the projects will also aim to improve community awareness and health practices and increase demand for MNCH and nutritional services. Examples of the activities include upgrading health centres and dispensaries, training healthcare workers in emergency obstetrics, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition practices, and providing greater access to family planning and vaccinations.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, acting Permanent Secretary Regina Kikuli renewed Tanzania’s commitment to mothers and children and thanked Canada and other development pPartners for their support.

“The government of Tanzania is pleased to be working in partnership with Canada and other stakeholders to improve the health of Tanzanian women and children through improving access to and knowledge of life-saving health services,” she said

Tanzania was selected in 2009 as a country of focus as part of the government of Canada’s aid effectiveness agenda and is one of 10 countries where CIDA is focusing its Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

Canada will provide over US$127 million for four years (2011-2015) to support the government of Tanzania to improve maternal, newborn and child health outcomes particularly in underserved regions of Tanzania.